This company was started by a Boulder food blogger who has traveled extensively in the United States and abroad. Today, Local Table run tours in Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins. In Denver, they do a tour at The Source, a Taste of Highlands and in downtown (Taste of LoDo and Union Station).

Photo courtesy of Local Table Tours.

Their Boulder-based tours including A Taste of Boulder, Cocktail Tours, Coffee & Chocolate Tours and May through October they offer tours at the Boulder Farmers’ Market.

Lodging in Manitou Springs, Colorado – The Cliff House at Pikes Peak

We’d stayed at The Cliff House many years ago, and since that stay, my husband has always named The Cliff House as one of his favorite Colorado hotels.

We arrived in town near lunch time so our first stop was at Manitou Brewing Company. This brewery not only serves up noteworthy craft beer, but also gourmet food. I daresay this is the most foodie brewery I have ever visited. Continue reading →

Founded as a resort town, Colorado Springs has long been a center for arts and culture. While Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows were taking place in Denver, Colorado Springs was hosting writers and artists.

I believe this predilection for the finer things in life is one reason the city has so many museums. Visit Colorado Springs has 24 area museums listed on their web site, making this city a must-visit for museum fanatics.

Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado

A Visit to the Money Museum in Colorado Springs

The Money Museum is all about money. It features one of the most complete U.S. gold coin collections ever assembled, including many one-of-a-kind specimens, and the History of Money exhibit will show and tell you how your “change has changed” over the years. We, however, visited this museum to see their Olympic Games exhibit which will run through March 2017.Continue reading →

Last Saturday we went on the Delicious Downtown tour in Colorado Springs with Rocky Mountain Food Tours. My first piece of advice for anyone participating in this tour is to wear stretchy pants. Seriously, you will thank me.

Our tour started at The Antlers Hotel, a mid-modern goliath in downtown. We had a full tour of 14 hungry people. About half the group was from the Springs area and the other half from the Denver metro area.

Bambino’s Urban Pizza, Colorado Springs, Colorado

There’s some walking involved on the tour, but I was grateful for the time between stops to let a little bit of the food in my stomach digest. Plus, Colorado Springs is a sunny city, so it’s likely that you’ll be soaking up some Vitamin D while you walk.

Our tour started with a visit to the Caribbean and ended by going down the Rabbit Hole. True story.

I’m not going to give away all the wonderful experience you’ll have on this Colorado Springs food tour, but I will tell you some of my highlights. Continue reading →

Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and that means from this point on I will be running around the state like a crazy woman with dusty festival feet and pulling a tired, but accommodating husband along behind me.

Hi, my name is Heidi and I’m the Mayor of HeidiTown.com, a blog about festivals, events and destinations around Colorado.

It’s Memorial Day weekend, a time to remember those who have died in service of this great nation. It’s also marks the kickoff of the summer festival season, although summer doesn’t officially start until June 20.

It’s a very busy weekend, so let’s get started.

Here in Fort Collins… the Realities for Children Motorcycle Ride and Rally has become a tradition in Northern Colorado. It is one of the state’s largest charity motorcycle poker runs and features lots of stuff to get your motor runnin’ including live music, fireworks, a stunt show, vintage and custom bikes and more. The Rally starts on Saturday in downtown Fort Collins and runs from 11 to 11. Downtown’s largest fireworks display starts at 9 p.m. The ride continues on Sunday at Thunder Mountain Harley Davidson in Loveland. For details and to register for the ride go to RealitiesRide.com.

Also, mark your calendar because Bohemian Nights Presents the Thursday Night Live Concert Series on Thursday May 31. Enjoy local music every Thursday in Old Town through August 2nd. For band info, go to DowntownFortCollins.com.

In Estes Park this weekend, enjoy the Art Market. Ninety Artisans will display their talents in Bond Park. Details at ArtCenterofEstes.com.

And speaking of ART, the Downtown Denver Arts Festival is also this weekend at the Denver Pavilions. 150,000 art-lovers are expected to attend this event that includes a special exhibit of DiVinci’s Machines. Go to DowntownDenverArtsFestival.com for a map of this huge artsy affair and the schedule.

Also in Denver, the Memorial Day Parade & Tribute Ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Civic Center Park. Let’s never forget those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms that we enjoy and take for granted each and every day. Visit DenverGov.org/Veterans for more.

This weekend is also the Boulder Creek Festival, three days of entertainment, shopping and people watching. This event is a great way to break in your festival sandals and practice your dance moves. Go to BCEProductions.com for the details on Boulder’s unofficial kick off to summer.

Also in Boulder, Cinderella is now underway at Boulders Dinner Theater. Watch for a review coming soon to HeidiTown.com.

There are several river-oriented fests this weekend in two of my favorite Colorado mountain towns.

Paddle Fest in Buena Vista, Colorado. (Courtesy Photo)

First it’s Paddle Fest in Buena Vista. If you haven’t been to this part of Colorado, you’ve really been missing out on one of the most spectacular destinations in the state. Located on the Arkansa River, Buena Vista and Salida are two town highly regarded by kayakers and PaddleFest is an interactive event that will get you ready for a safe, fun season on the water. This event has grown over the years, check it out at CKSPaddleFest.com.

And speaking of the water, it’s the 32nd Annual Yampa River Festival in Steamboat Springs. Take it from me, this town knows how to throw a party, and this event is no exception. The festival celebrates everything on the river with races, slaloms, tube rodeo, Crazy River Dog Competition and lots more. Go to FriendsoftheYampa.com for more information.

Staying at altitude, it’s the Beaver Creek’s 9th Annual Blues, Brews & Barbecue. This is a serious weekend of eating, drinking, golfing and more. For ticket information go to BeaverCreek.com.

There is a lot more happening around Colorado this Memorial Day weekend including Territory Days in Old Colorado City, an historic family-festival the kids will love, more at ShopOldColoradoCity.com. And the 4th Annual MeadowGrass Music Festival, also in the Springs. Old time music is alive and well at this event, details at MeadowGrass.org. And in Mesa Verde it’s the 12th Annual Indian Arts & Culture Festival, a week long celebration of Native American Culture in one of the most fascinating Colorado destinations. Go to to MesaVerdeCountry.com to plan your trip.

I’m out of time, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t hook up with me out there on social media and learn even more… join the town’s block party at Facebook.com/HeidiTown.comonFB. Follow me on Twitter @HeidiTown or visit the town on Google Plus.

Thanks so much for listening! Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend, and until next time, I will see you online or at a festival near you.

It’s time for another blog installment of my weekly radio show on KRFC 88.9 FM. You can either read the transcript of this week’s segment below, or listen to the audio HERE. Either way, I hope you find it entertaining, enlightening and fun!

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Hi, my name is Heidi and I’m the Mayor of HeidiTown.com, a blog about events, festivals and travel around Colorado.

Here’s the lineup for April 6th through the 8th, 2012 and beyond.

It’s Easter Weekend, so many of you will likely be spending time with family. I, however, will be running around the streets of Fort Collins like a chicken with my head cut off. That’s because I will be participating for the 4th time in the 4th Annual Easter Keg Hunt, a scavenger hunt for adults put on by My Big Day, LLC. It’s not a fundraiser, it’s simply fun. This year all the teams are full, but to discover other wacky events in Northern Colorado check out MyBigDayCompany.com.

If you are looking for a big Easter egg hunt to do with the kiddos, check out the hunt at Mile High Flea Market from 11 to noon on Saturday. The Easter Bunny will be there and there will be prizes, and of course candy. Learn more about the Easter Egg Hunt and everything happening at the market at MileHighFleaMarket.com.

Apparently the Easter Bunny will be very busy this weekend because here’s another kid-oriented activity where he will be available for pictures and pets. The Bunny Express Train will be leaving the station on Saturday at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden. For decades the train has been transporting eggs and bunnies and excited children. To hop on board, visit ColoradoRailroadMuseum.org and look under Special Events.

Several communities and resorts around Colorado are having community Easter Egg Hunts including Historic downtown Monument, Palmer Lake and Sol Vista Basin in Granby. There’s probably a hunt in your community!

For those of you who like to plan ahead, there are a couple events that should be on your calendar.

I am always on the look out for events that are a little different, something I don’t see from month to month, and this one most definitely fits the bill. The 10th Annual Kite Festival is Saturday, April 14th in Arvada, and the city is going all out on this 10-year milestone. There will be kite contests, kite flying, kite sales, and family activities all day long. This is one event your child will never forget. Learn more at ArvadaFestivals.com.

If you are a cyclist, listen up. The Mead Roubaix Festival is on Sunday, April 22. The word “roubaix” is derived from the French word rubble and has come to refer to a bike race where the riders ride a route that has paved and unpaved sections.

Registration for the race closes Friday, April 20, and there will be no race day registration. Register online only at CyclingEvents.com/MeadRoubaix.

In addition to the race, Mead throws a community festival the same day in Town Park. In the morning enjoy a 5K Walk/Run, pancake breakfast and a Doggie Dash. Bike tune-ups will be available all day and the kid zone will surely be popular. Throughout the day, festivalgoers can browse vendors’ booths, and enjoy food and a beer garden. This is one of the first community festivals of the season and a great opportunity to get outside and enjoy spring!

Lastly, I want to tell you about this month’s recipient of the HeidiTown.com Gives Back Campaign. I’ve always been in awe of birds of prey, so April’s featured organization is the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program located right here in Fort Collins, Colorado. In my career as a freelance writer I’ve had the opportunity to visit this facility several times and write about it on numerous occasions, and I know they do great work.

The mission of the program is to inspire the protection and appreciation of raptors and the spaces where they live through excellence in rehabilitation, education and research. For more information about Rocky Mountain Raptor Program go to my blog and click on the HeidiTown.com Gives Back Campaign on the right hand side of the page, or visit them online at RMRP.org.

The following is my weekly segment on KRFC 88.9 FM. If you prefer, you can listen to the audio HERE, or read through the following transcript of the show. Enjoy!

FYI: I am giving away tickets to the KRFC Birthday Bash on this Thursday, March 8, so please tune back into the blog on Thursday to enter!

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Hi, my name is Heidi and I’m the Mayor of HeidiTown.com, a blog about events, festivals and travel in Colorado.

It’s already the second weekend in March and that means St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! I love the holiday and this year it’s landing on a Saturday. There are parades all over the state on Saturday, March 17, including the granddaddy of them all, the 50th Denver St.

Patrick’s Day Parade in Lower Downtown. There are also parades in Colorado Springs, Greeley, and of course, right here in Fort Collins.

New this year in Fort Collins, after the parade, stay downtown and enjoy and Irish Party with live music and green beer in Old Town Square. More at DowntownFortCollins.com.

Now, back to this weekend, March 9 through the 11th 2011.

First and foremost, this Saturday it’s the 9th Annual KRFC Birthday Bash and this year it’s going to be grand. The party is being held at Lincoln Center and is a fundraiser for KRFC, Fort Collin’s very own public radio. The live music showcase will include Ben Taylor, John Common and the Blinding Flashes of Light, Fierce Bad Rabbit, Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Jaden Carlson and Martin Gilmore. Come out and support public radio and have a great time as well.

For beer lovers this Friday and Saturday, Avery Brewing Company in Boulder Presents the 10th Annual Boulder Strong Ale Fest. The event celebrates craft beers from all over the country that are above 8 percent ABV. For more information go to AveryBrewing.com.

If you are a craft beer fan, and many, many of you are, you can spend nearly every weekend attending a beer event, and I can’t cover them all, but I’ve discovered a guy who does. There’s a beer blogger in Greeley who puts out a list of all beer related events each and every week. Impressive, right? So check his blog out at FermentedlyChallenged.com.

Horse lovers won’t want to miss the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo at the National Western Complex in Denver this weekend. This huge event runs the 9th through the 11th and there are over 150 presentations being given at the event in 7 venues. I did mention this is a big event, right? Cowboy tales, a craft show and an holistic horse fair are just three of dozens of events scheduled for the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo. Go to ColoradoHorseCouncil.com for all the information.

Here’s a unique event I discovered. It’s the 2012 Old House Fair being held at Metro State. Denver’s Old House Society hosts the event that offers resources and workshops specifically for people who own homes over 50-years-old. The fair includes an antique road show, notable Denver appraisers, workshops on all kinds of subjects and exhibitors will be on hand to showcase products and services. If you own an old home, this is an excellent opportunity to get some of your questions answered. Visit DenversOldHouseSociety.org for details.

This is a bit of a drive from Northern Colorado, but for birders it will be worth it. The 29th Annual Monte Vista Crane Festival runs the 9th through the 11th. I have friends who have been to this event and they were very impressed. The festival includes birding outings, workshops, a craft show and a lot more. To learn all about this feathery festival visit CraneFest.com.

Last, as I informed you last week, I’m a crazy soccer fan and this weekend is opening day for the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. The Colorado Rapids take on the Columbus Crew this Saturday. Join me before the match at the Class VI/PidArmy tailgate! For more visit NoFanAlone.com.

Hi, my name is Heidi and I’m the Mayor of HeidiTown.com, a blog about events, festivals and travel around Colorado.

Is this year flying by for anyone else? Because I can’t believe that I’m already talking about the last weekend in February.

You’ve probably noticed that I’ve been chatting a lot lately about mountain events, and that’s because ski season is in full swing and there’s always something happening at the resorts. However, this week I’m going to talk about events across the Front Range.

Oscar Party at the Kress 2011. Photo by Matthew Gale.

First, many of you probably don’t know, but I used to be a movie reviewer. The reviews ran in a local newspaper and on HeidiTown.com, so I’m a bit of a film buff. The Academy Awards are this Sunday evening, and I’m rooting for Hugo to win Best Picture. Not only was this a beautiful crafted 3D film, but the story was wonderful. If you can’t tell by my gushing, I loved it.

This Sunday, I will be watching the Academy Awards at the Kress Cinema & Lounge in Greeley. They have an annual Oscar Party shindig that includes hors’ orderves, champagne, a red carpet and even paparazzi. Guests can watch the Academy Awards live on the Kress’s big screen. To learn more go to KressCinema.com.

Oscar Night in America is the annual gala fundraiser for the Denver Film Society. This is one of 49 official Oscar parties sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Enjoy a glitz and glamour filled evening at this magnificent event. Go to DenverFilm.org for details.

And now for something completely different…

On Saturday at the National Western Complex in Denver it’s the 9th Annual Colorado Baby & Kidz Expo. Whether you are already a parent or expecting, this event is the largest indoor Parent, Baby, Todder and Child Expo in Colorado. There will be vendors, entertainment and more. Go to TheExpoPros.com for information on this and other large shows across the country.

If you didn’t make it down to the Home & Garden Show in Denver, be sure to check out the 29th Annual Greeley Tribune Home & Garden Show this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Island Grove Regional Park Arena. For more go to GreeleyTribune.com or find this event on Facebook.

In Colorado Springs this weekend fans of sci-fi will enjoy GalaxyFest at Antlers Hilton Hotel. This Science Fiction Media and Literacy Conventions features shows, presentations, interactive events, costume contests, a zombie crawl, celebrity appearances and a whole lot more. Grab your Stormtrooper costume and get to Colorado Springs for a wild weekend of Sci-Fi fun. More at GalaxyFest.org.
If you prefer going back in time, instead of forward, Buffalo Bill’s Birthday Bash is this Saturday at the Buffalo Rose Music & Events Center in Golden. Born in 1846, William F. Cody experienced the Old West to its fullest. His Wild West Show was the most popular of his day and his legend will live on forever. Buffalo Bill’s grave is located on Lookout Mountain Road in Golden. His birthday bash will be a day to remember with an historic re-enactors contest and more. Visit BuffaloBillDays.com for a schedule of events.

I mentioned this event previously, and now it’s here. The High Plains Snow Goose Festival runs February 23 through the 26th in Lamar. Celebrating birds and the heritage of Southeast Colorado, learn all about this unique event at HighPlainsSnowGoose.com or find them on Facebook. They have some lovely birding photos posted there.

And now for those planning ahead…

I love trains. If you’ve listened for any length of time you’ve probably figure that out. So I always have my eye open for fun train events. I really wish there were trains here in Northern Colorado, but they tend to be all south.

On March 3rd the Rio Grand Scenic Railroad has a Wine Train. They also had a beer train earlier this month. Combining a wine tasting and scenic ride on the rails is my idea of the perfect outing. Other trains around Colorado run special events throughout the year as well. For more info on the wine train go to RioGrandeScenicRailroad.com.

Another wine event to put on your calendar is Wine Fest Fort Collins on March 23rd. It’s the 30th year of this event that benefits Disabled Resource Services. This is among the largest wine tasting events in Colorado, so go to WineFestFC.org to get all the delicious details.

Hi, my name is Heidi, and I’m the Mayor of HeidiTown.com, a blog about Colorado events, festivals and road trips.

If you are anything like me, this is the time of year where I get a little down. Thankfully, the sun seems to always shine in Colorado, so that helps, and really, there’s no reason to be bored. You just have to look a little harder, and perhaps travel just a little farther to find something fun to do on the weekend.

Here’s the lineup for January 20 through the 22nd, 2012.

I recently posted a list of Colorado Winter Festivals not to be missed on HeidiTown.com, but I couldn’t list them all because there are A LOT. So tuning in here is a good way to find out even more!

This weekend is Winter Park’s Winter Carnival. Running Friday through Sunday, the event also celebrates the birthday of one of the town’s most famous gals – Mary Jane. This is probably the biggest party of the year in Winter Park and includes everything from fireworks and a parade to tons of snow related activities, including a 5K snowshoe race. And despite getting off to a slow start this season, there IS plenty of snow in Winter Park! Learn more about this and other events year round at PlayWinterPark.com.

I’m always on the look out for museums like the Dinosaur Resource Center located in Woodland Park, Colorado. We are really lucky, because Colorado full of these types of gems. The Dinosaur Resource Center has lots of great events for kids year round, including Magical Music Winter Fun this Saturday. Visitors can see spectacular dinosaurs including T-Rex, raptors, giant flying and marine reptiles, huge carnivorous fish and life restorations. Even take a peak into the fossil preparation lab. Visit RMDRC.com for more.

Other dinosaur museums around Colorado you might want to check out are the Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita, online at MuseumsofWesternCo.com. The Dinosaur Depot Museum in Canon City, at DinosaurDepot.com. The Dinosaur National Monument located along the Colorado/Utah border and online at NPS.gov/DNO. The Morrison Natural History Museum in Morrison, at MNHM.org, and also in Morrison, Dinosaur Ridge online DinoRidge.org.

This Saturday, celebrate the Chinese New Year at the Denver Art Museum. In addition to Chinese art there will be lion and dragon dances performed by the Colorado Asian Heritage Center followed by a martial arts demonstration. More on this event at DenverArtMuseum.org.

There are a couple nature-oriented activities I’d like to tell you about. First, the Wintertime Plant Walk at my favorite Northern Colorado trail, Devil’s Backbone Open Space in Loveland. If you like to garden and you are getting the itch, this may help relieve it a bit. Join a naturalist at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the trailhead. She will explain how plants along this trail handle the harsh winter season.

Also on Saturday, if you prefer birds over plants, join a naturalist for Big Birds of River Bluffs Open Space in Windsor. Located at the I25/Windsor interchange, this two-hour program takes an in-depth look at the large birds that use the river corridor. For more information on this event and other similar events, visit Larimer.org/naturalresources.

Here’s an upcoming event you might want to calendar. The famed International Snow Sculpting Championships in Breckenridge start Tuesday, January 24 and run through February 5. For more information and to plan your trip to this amazing event, visit GoBreck.com.

Also just around the corner is Snowdown in Durango February 1 through the 5th. I’ve written about this event and other Winter Festivals on HeidiTown.com, so make sure you’re tuning into the blog or subscribe by stopping into the town’s Visitors Center. Along with useful information there are lots of contests on the blog that allow you to become a VIP at events across Colorado.

That’s all for this weekend. As always, you can contact me directly by emailing TheMayor@HeidiTown.com. Follow me on Twitter @HeidiTown, and join the town’s growing block party at Facebook.com/HeidiTown.comOnFB.